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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pass — a permit
  5. chest — a box
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. chest — of your body
  13. can — a tin
  14. chest — of your body
  15. spell — magic
  16. squash — the sport
  17. can — a tin
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. squash — to crush
  20. spell — letters
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fork — in a road
  23. spell — a short time
  24. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com